Planners

Pay rise? 10 Negotiating tips...

Pay rise? 10 Negotiating tips...

Do your homework for your next pay rise conversation with these ten tips to help you prepare your case and boost your chances of getting the right result…

Is An 'Itexit' Really On The Cards?

Is An 'Itexit' Really On The Cards?

AMPs Dr Shane Oliver takes a closer look at the potential impact of the recent Italian elections…

2018 Federal Budget

2018 Federal Budget

The 2018-19 Budget will be the last before the next election (due by May 2019) and so had to provide pre-election goodies, but in a way that keeps the return to surplus on track. Read here for a complete run down…

Industry Super Funds On Notice...

Industry Super Funds On Notice...

The Minister for Revenue and Financial Services, Kelly O’Dwyer, has made a thinly-veiled attack on advertising spending by Industry Superannuation Funds...

TOP 5 Financial Regrets

TOP 5 Financial Regrets

We all make bad decisions about money from time to time. But what if you could avoid future financial errors by learning what others have done and wish they hadn’t? In our Live the Dream survey we asked Aussies for their top financial regrets so you can learn from their mistakes...

Monthly Property Prices

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With the exception of Hobart, all capital cities experienced an uptick in prices over the last month. View here

For more information, contact Rick Maggi on 9382 8885 or rickmaggi@westmount.com.au.

Budget SPECULATION RIFE

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There will be added interest in the Federal Budget announcement next week (May 3rd) as it's likely to be the final major economic statement the Government makes before the election later this year, quite possibly July 2nd. With the opposition taking a strong stance on capital gains tax and negative gearing, we're looking at a focus this year on taxation. Corporate tax could be cut by up to 1.5% however, there is likely to be minimal, if any, relief in terms of personal income tax.

There may also be some changes to superannuation. Some potential changes might be reduced contribution caps, the concessional 15% tax on super contributions, an end to 'Transition to Retirement' pensions and taxes on superannuation pension payments.

Overall, the outlook is for minimal growth in government spending, with spending offset by savings elsewhere in the Budget.

Where sharemarkets are concerned, historically we have seen some sideways tracking in past election years, but there has been no evidence to date of a lasting impact caused by an election. In fact, Australian economic growth has actually been strong during election years since 1980.

We'll be watching the announcements closely next week and will keep our clients informed of any meaningful developments.

For more information, contact Rick Maggi on 9382 8885 or rickmaggi@westmount.com.au.

So what did we learn?

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In this article, Don Stammer adds some much needed balance and clarity, first explaining what happened during the first ten weeks of January, and then moving on to some universal lessons we all need to remember during periods of uncertainty. Read more here

This article was recently published on the 'Cuffelinks' website, a free weekly newsletter for investors and advisers which I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone looking for an intelligent, impartial investment website. For more information, go to cuffelinks.com.au

Or alternatively, contact Rick Maggi on 9382 8885 or rickmaggi@westmount.com.au.